'Dracula' featuring Jennie longest-charting song by K-pop artist in Hot 100's top 10"Dracula," a collaboration single between Australian act Tame Impala and BLACKPINK's Jennie, has set a new record on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 by logging the longest top-10 run for a song involving a Korean pop artist. The track held at No. 6 for a second straight week, Billboard's chart preview said Monday (U.S. time), extending its stay inside the top 10 to 16 weeks. With this, "Dracula" surpassed the previous 15-week record set by K-pop supergroup BTS with its smash-hit "Butter," becoming the longest-running top-10 song by or featuring a K-pop act. Originally released as a solo track by Tame Impala in October last year, "Dracula" gained renewed traction after a remix featuring Jennie was released in February, going viral on short-form video platforms and climbing up the rankings. The song peaked at No. 5 on the Hot 100. Billboard will publish the official Hot 100 ranking on Tuesday.Sep 15, 2026By Yonhap
TWICE's Jeongyeon reveals new look after leaving JYPTWICE member Jeongyeon is drawing attention with a new look after leaving JYP Entertainment and joining VARO Entertainment, the agency that represents her older sister, actor Gong Seung-yeon. VARO Entertainment released a series of new profile photos of Jeongyeon on its official social media accounts Monday. The singer joined the agency in August after 11 years with JYP Entertainment. In a handwritten letter announcing the move, Jeongyeon assured fans that she would continue her activities with TWICE. “I’m leaving JYP, where I’ve spent so many years since my teens, to make a fresh start somewhere new,” she wrote. “TWICE remains at the heart of who I am, and that will not change. Standing before ONCE as a member of TWICE will always come first.” The move has fueled expectations that Jeongyeon will pursue acting in earnest. In the new photos, she projects a calm, mature image, suggesting a shift toward a more understated look as she prepares to launch her acting career. Jeongyeon is set to make her big screen debut in “New Recruit: The Movie.” This article from the Hankook IlSep 15, 2026By Hankookilbo
Stray Kids' Felix marks birthday with $220,000 donation to children, flood victimsStray Kids member Felix celebrated his birthday by giving rather than receiving, donating 300 million won ($220,000) to support sick and vulnerable children in Korea as well as disaster relief efforts overseas. Felix made the donations on his birthday on Tuesday, giving 100 million won each to Samsung Medical Center and Seoul National University Children’s Hospital, and 50 million won each to Books International and UNICEF Korea. The funds donated to Samsung Medical Center will help cover treatment costs for children and adolescents with cancer, while the contribution to Seoul National University Children’s Hospital will support pediatric patients from financially vulnerable families. His donation to Books International will go toward creating and producing picture books in children’s native languages as part of the organization’s cultural education and awareness programs. The UNICEF Korea contribution will be used for emergency relief following severe flooding in Nepal. “I hope the days of many children will be filled with bright hope instead of worry,” Felix said. “I sincSep 15, 2026By Xportsnews
What K-pop concert venues will look like in 2027Next year will reshape where and how K-pop is staged, with a purpose-built arena opening in northern Seoul, the country's largest stadium returning from a three-year overhaul and the city of Goyang spending money on upgrades to hold on to the business it's built while other venues have been under construction. The clearest change will be Seoul Arena, the 28,000-capacity venue under construction in Dobong District, northern Seoul. It began accepting official rental applications this month for live performances in the second half of 2027, with submissions closing Friday. Alongside the main arena, the complex will house a mid-size hall seating about 7,000, and promoters can book either space or combine the two depending on the scale of an event. The venue is being built as a build-transfer-operate project with Kakao as lead investor. Ownership will transfer to the Seoul Metropolitan Government on completion, after which a Kakao-held operating company will run the site for 30 years. Opening is targeted for the first half of next year. One major booking is already locked in: Fanomenon, the gSep 15, 2026By Pyo Kyung-min
Minho shows off six-pack 19 years into SHINee careerSHINee's Minho is drawing attention for his remarkably toned physique nearly two decades after his debut. The K-pop star performed his latest track, "Make it hot," on SBS' "Inkigayo" on Sunday, taking the stage in a voluminous fur jacket with no shirt underneath. The styling put his sharply defined six-pack on full display as he delivered the song's high-energy choreography. His muscular build and lean frame remained striking throughout the physically demanding performance, highlighting the results of his longtime commitment to exercise and fitness. Minho debuted with SHINee in 2008 and is now in his 19th year in the industry. Despite his lengthy career, the 34-year-old singer continues to maintain the athletic physique for which he has long been known among K-pop fans. "Make it hot" is an EDM-infused pop dance track that portrays the growing attraction between two people amid the heat of summer. The choreography incorporates a hand gesture resembling flames, a nod to Minho's long-standing association with the nickname "Flaming Charisma." Combining his trademark energetic performance stylSep 14, 2026By Xportsnews
Stray Kids electrifies 100,000 fans at Brazil's Rock in RioK-pop band Stray Kids sent a crowd of 100,000 into a frenzy at Brazil's Rock in Rio, one of the world's largest music events. The eight-member group headlined the festival Friday evening at Olympic Park in Rio de Janeiro, sharing the lineup with international heavyweights, including Calvin Harris, the Black Eyed Peas, Maroon 5 and Elton John. With the performance, Stray Kids became the first K-pop act to headline the festival. "Rock in Rio allowed fans to bring lightsticks into the venue in recognition of K-pop's concert culture for the first time since its first edition in 1985, making tangible the influence of headliner Stray Kids," the group's agency, JYP Entertainment, said in a release. During its set, the group performed a string of hits, including "Topline," "S-Class," "God's Menu," "Chk Chk Boom," "Lalalala" and "This & That," according to JYP. Stray Kids is set for its own Latin American festival tour, "Stray City," with shows scheduled for Monday and Tuesday in Buenos Aires, and Sept. 25 and 26 in Mexico City.Sep 14, 2026By Yonhap
After NCT exit, Mark Lee trades maximalism for stripped-down soundSinger Mark Lee has returned to music, charting a new course after parting ways with K-pop group NCT. Lee debuted in 2016 and spent nearly a decade as a core member of NCT, performing as main rapper and main dancer across NCT 127, NCT Dream, NCT U and SuperM. He played a defining role throughout that 10-year span, and his April departure shocked fans and fueled intense speculation regarding his next steps. Speculation swirled over why he left, with unverified claims circulating about his musical direction and personal beliefs. He faced mounting scrutiny in June when he drew public criticism for wearing a T-shirt depicting the Confederate flag, widely recognized as a symbol of racism. Upper Room, the creative company founded by Lee, issued an apology, and Lee issued a second apology in August. "Neither I nor my team understood what that symbol meant. I am committed to learning more," he said. "I hope that through my actions, I can demonstrate the values of respect and inclusion I strive to uphold." The apologies did little to curb online harassment. Upper Room said it had continuously moniSep 14, 2026By Hankookilbo
TXT to launch new world tour in NovemberBoy group Tomorrow X Together (TXT) will kick off its new world tour in November with three concerts in Seoul, the group's agency, BigHit Music, said Monday. The "Steal the Wind" tour will run from Nov. 13 to 15 at the 15,000-seat KSPO Dome in southern Seoul before heading to other parts of Asia, North America and Europe, the agency said. The tour title, which translates as "making the flow one's own," reflects the five members' determination to keep their momentum going and move forward, no matter the situation. TXT will perform at the 2026 Global Citizen Festival in New York's Central Park on Sept. 26.Sep 14, 2026By Yonhap
Girl group ILLIT to return with new EP next monthK-pop girl group ILLIT will release its fifth EP, "Break Even," on Oct. 26, its agency said Monday, marking the group's first new music in about six months. The upcoming album follows the group's fourth EP, "It's Me," released in April. Its title was inspired from the economic term "break-even point," referring to a state where neither profit nor loss occurs, according to Belift Lab. The label said the new project delivers a clear message from the speaker: she will no longer invest time and emotion on relationships that lack mutual return, pivoting away from the direct, unreserved approach she previously held toward her love interest.Sep 14, 2026By Yonhap
The Boyz to restart group activities under new label after contract disputeK-pop group The Boyz said Monday it will resume group activities under 78 Records, a newly formed label, months after winning a legal battle to leave its previous agency over unpaid settlements. The nine members — Sangyeon, Jacob, Younghoon, Hyunjae, Juyeon, Kevin, Q, Sunwoo and Eric — will be managed for their group activities by 78 Records, while individual schedules remain with their respective personal agencies, the label said in a statement. "We will fully support The Boyz's group activities and maintain close cooperation," the label said. 78 Records was set up by industry veterans who have worked with the group since its debut and recently completed legal steps to establish a corporate body. The Boyz debuted in 2017 under Cre.ker Entertainment, a label under Kakao Entertainment, before moving to IST Entertainment in 2021. In late 2024, it signed with One Hundred Label, but in February nine of its 10 members sought to terminate their contracts, alleging unpaid settlement payments. In April, the Seoul Central District Court granted the members' injunction suspending their exclusiSep 14, 2026By Yonhap
